A Seedy Week

I worked hard on my book THE HOUR OF MY DEATH this week.  I am working on third draft, more putting in than taking out, although some of that.  But I did a lot of editing out what I could when I was working through 2nd draft.

Then came the ordering of seeds.  Woody and I order the vegetable seeds together.  He has the Pinetree and Burpee catalogs; I have Johnny’s, Fedco, Territorial and Seeds n Such.  We finished Sunday just a bit before I had to start a supper of chicken and bulghur.

Then I did the flowers that evening and today they get recorded and sent. That’s why I’m writing this blog on Monday instead of on Saturday, the way I always do it.  I keep a couple of less useful catalogs in case places we always order from are out of specific vegetable seeds. 

Saturday night we went to the Grotzes.  We were supposed to have Christmas dinner there, but first Tasha and then her mother Stephanie came down with Covid.  Tasha recovered quickly but Stephanie [who has all her shots] had a lingering case.  Finally last night we went over.  Tasha cooked a sumptuous dinner of a whole roasted tenderloin, rice, a mushroom sauce and an usually delicious gingerbread cake with caramel sauce.  Woody had a Caesar salad we brought over.

We didn’t get much of the brunt of the storm.  We have about an inch of snow.  Melenie got about a foot and a half.  She had to do all the shoveling as Jay is in Philly.  While I was ordering flower seeds after we finished with vegetables, we watched [sort of – I was working] the Bills Dolphins game.  I was routing for the Bills.  We had to go to bed at halftime, as I have to get up early to prepare for working with Dale today. 

The snow is pretty and on a grey day of heavy clouds, it makes everything much lighter.  I appreciate that – and I am not expeciing to go out anyplace today.  I’m not meditating tonight, as the Michigan v washignton game starts @ 7:30.  I so hoep Michigan finally wins a national championship.  In addition to being my ama mater, the Un of M has been very good to me – bringing me in for several readings and two residencies and putting on a conference on my writing.  Then they bought my papers, which helped us a lot.

Schwartzie has been quite needy lately.  I think he is a little threatened by Shaman, who is rambunctious and also charms everyone and is super affectionate.  Schwartie is and always has been more laid back.  Also he has a heart murmur – both he and I have our appointments with our cardiologists. I stry to give him extra attention.  Melenie is having trouble between her old cat Pearl and her new cat Louie.  Pearl is very territorial.  I give keep advice.  Things were going relatively well, but there was a huge setback when Pearl ripped out a claw chasing Louie.  I don’t know if he is Louey or Louie.